Yukina leads Mae back through the halls of the temple. They walk in silence; is this what my life will return to? Will I be dressed as a doll only to be tortured as if I were a war criminal; though it will probably be worse this time… They must be furious that I managed to escape. I can guarantee they won't allow me the chance again… Their footsteps echo softly through the hallways, the ice maiden opting to carry a candle rather than constantly turn the lights on and off as the women pass through the halls. The flickering shadows draw Mae's attention, taking her back to Sapporo and the fire that had caused her to flee the one place she'd felt safe since the halfway house had been burned down.

"I can't seem to get this stupid language down!" Mae muttered to herself. She thought moving somewhere with a culture even more removed from her home would make her harder to track. She hadn't anticipated having such difficulty with the language. Not knowing Japanese had made it almost impossible to accomplish simple daily tasks, like buying groceries or books for her to learn the language. Forget trying to find a place to live; that's why she'd almost cried when she'd stumbled upon a high school professor who was fluent in written English. Not only had he given her a place to stay while she learned Japanese, plus the Japanese sign system, but he'd also helped her find an apartment without being swindled out of an astronomical amount of money.

It had been early that spring that she'd begun seeing him regularly. He was her first friend in a long time, the first person who'd shown her kindness without expecting anything in return. They would often get coffee together or spend their afternoons in the local park. He didn't mind that she didn't speak; in fact he'd told her he found it refreshing. So she began to settle, finally feeling at peace, feeling safe; and then she began to slip. That's ultimately why she'd almost been caught, and why her sweet professor had been killed. Because she'd gotten sloppy, she'd gotten too close. Going to meet him at his building that Saturday and finding it had been burned to the ground during the night, the fact that there were no survivors had told her that it was them. They'd found her and tracked her to Sapporo. It was a rude wake up call, one she'd never forgive herself for. After returning to her small apartment, grief stricken, Mae had packed her things and left without looking back. She'd been foolish to think she could escape the life she'd been cursed with, to think she could be safe, so she returned to running. She didn't have enough money for a ticket out of the country so she settled for moving around Japan, learning all its little villages and provinces. Mae only stayed in places for a couple of weeks, sometimes only days, knowing she could never truly escape.

Noticing the ice maiden had stopped Mae forces herself back to the present. They stand just outside the entertainment room, hushed voices filtering through the doorway. Yukina glances over her shoulder, making sure her guest is still there, before clearing her throat lightly and entering the room. Mae follows a step behind. Upon entering the space she is able to observe the group clearly for the first time. Yukina moves to stand next to a rather large man with cropped carrot colored hair and small dark eyes. He leans against a large entertainment system against the far wall which houses the largest television set she has ever seen. Hidden behind cabinet doors are what she assumes the accessories for the T.V. as well as an assortment of games and movies. Seated in one of the arm chairs is a slender, feminine looking figure who has turned the chair to face the doorway. To the right another member of the group lounges in the large window overlooking a section of the temple property; Mae's eyes widen, this is the man from the clearing. His crimson colored eyes and strange hair style are impossible to mistake, dread settles into her bones as he shifts his fiery gaze to meet hers. Breath caught in her throat Mae steps back only to be met by the former spirit detective.

"Sorry kiddo, you aren't going anywhere." Yuske says grasping her upper arm to maneuver her further into the room. She glares at him icily, ripping her arm from his hand and refusing to budge. With an exasperated sigh the dark haired man returns to his position by the door, unwilling to manhandle the girl more than necessary. "If I didn't know any better I'd swear you this is a different girl Yukina. She looks nothing like the Rumiko that left with you an hour ago. I mean Rumiko was clearly native, but this girl has got to be American."

"Yes," Kurama adds, studying Mae intently. This must be the girl from the file, how else would her eyes have healed on their own. The fox concludes, by all accounts I should have had to use a demonic plant to return her sight. She shifts uncomfortably under his gaze, but refuses to acknowledge him. "If not for her energy she could easily be a different girl. I didn't anticipate her having dyed her hair. Please, Rumiko, sit."

Mae glares at the fox, she'd been shocked to find her hair back to its natural white when she'd stepped from the shower. What type of plant was that? I don't know of anything that can strip dye like that without seriously damaging hair; these people must be working with the others. There's no way in hell I'm cooperating with them. Crossing her arms defiantly Mae remains standing. Kurama shrugs, "Suit yourself, we'll have our answers soon enough."

Mae pales at his statement, but stands firm. She folds her hands into the sleeves of her kimono and stares blankly at the wall, determined to ignore those around her. Yuske exchanges a look with his teammates, but just as he begins to say something a portal opens in the wall next to him revealing Botan and a teenage Koenma. Jumping about three feet back he exclaims heatedly, "a little warning next time diaper breath!"

"Show some respect, Yuske." Botan scolds, closing the portal. Stepping up behind the spirit prince the blue haired ferry girl gasps at the sight before them. A young girl, no older than twelve, stands in traditional Japanese wear. She'd easily be mistaken for a ghost if not for the striking blue of her eyes. Mae shifts once more, clearly uncomfortable with the attention, but still refuses to move her focus from the wall. "Lord Koenma, is this, could it be…"

"I do believe it is Botan." The spirit prince answers the unfinished question, taking the pacifier from his mouth and tucking it into a pocket. He moves so the girl is facing him and kneels so their eyes are on the same level. In his teenage form his height rivals that of the others, making him several heads taller than Mae. Finally, Mae looks away from the wall. Her cobalt gaze wanders over the spirit prince's wiry form. As a teenager he's almost attractive by human standards, with fawn colored hair and gentle honey brown eyes. Mae raises a single delicate brow at the large 'Jr' in the middle of his forehead, but says nothing. Koenma is struck by the girl that stands before him, if they were in the feudal era there's no doubt in his mind this would have been the woman of the house. Her silent strength assures him of her resolve, a resolve the spirit prince knows he must break if he is to get any answers. With a single breath Koenma steels himself and delivers the fatal words to the human girl. "We've been looking for you for a long time, Mae."

At the announcement of her real name Mae feels all the fight drain from her body. Koenma hardens his eyes, the once warm honey color now resembling chips of cold amber. His suspicions confirmed, the spirit prince rises to his feet once more. The others watch as she takes a single step back, Kuwubara being the first to voice his confusion. "Wait, her name isn't Rumiko?"

"She obviously lied, idiot." Hiei retorts, not taking his eyes off the porcelain figure before him.

"I'm not stupid shorty!" The carrot top returns hotly, "it's just, isn't Mae an American name? So wouldn't that mean-"

"That's correct." Koenma states, crossing his arms he addresses Mae directly. "I was able to gather more information on you these past two days, not much but it will have to do for now. Hopefully you can fill in the gaps. What we do know is that you were born in America, your mother died when you were seven, your father abandoning you a year later. There was a fire at the orphanage you were being housed at when you were fifteen, for some reason you fled the country. Why is that Mae?"

I believe you know why. She signs curtly. Confused Koenma looks to Kurama for help, "What is she doing with her hands? Why isn't she answering me?"

"She did answer you Koenma." The fox replies from his seat. "She hasn't spoken since we found her. I believe she may be mute."

"What? No, that's not possible. Nothing in her file says anything about an incident in which she loses her voice!" The spirit prince exclaims, running his hands through his hair and pacing frantically about the room. Mae almost cries in relief at this information, they think I'm mute! Oh thank God! Sacred Virgin Mary, thank you! If they think I can't speak then they don't know about my curse, and if they don't know about my curse then I'm practically useless to them… Her thoughts are interrupted by a pair of large hands hauling her across the room and depositing her in a second overstuffed armchair across from Kurama. Blue meets green in an icy glare which is broken when the fox opens his mouth to speak. Before he can utter a single word however, Mae rudely flips him the bird and turns away, pointedly ignoring him.

"Mae, you have to speak to us." The red head begins, "I'm the only one who knows any form of sign language, so I will be translating for the group."

I don't have to do shit. Mae signs, turning to face her translator, there's nothing you can do to me that I haven't been through before.

"Are you implying you've been tortured?" Kurama inquires gently, earning several gasps from his companions and a heated glare from the girl in question. This must be why she was hiding, disguising herself. No wonder she doesn't trust us, if she's been captured before she most likely believes we are from the same group. Standing suddenly Kurama straightens his clothes before announcing: "Yukina, would you mind reheating supper? It seems there is much to discuss."

With a small nod the ice maiden scurries from the room, glad to be free of the tension hanging in the air. The men follow shortly, retreating to the tea room. They leave Botan to guard the girl, knowing she is more than capable even if the ferry girl is a bit of an air head. Once the guys have left Botan returns to the seating area, noticing Mae has yet to move from her previous position. The ferry girl pauses, not sure how to approach the silent girl.

"Those colors suit you." She tries, pulling at the hem of her own kimono sleeve shyly. "You're as beautiful as a doll."

Mae stiffens at the compliment, recalling the man who'd paid her the kind words before. Noticing the young girl's reaction and knowing she must have said the wrong thing Botan scrambles frantically to correct her mistake. "N-not that I think you're a doll. I just meant you're pretty, I mean I've never seen an albino before and I've always been told they look scary. Not that you're scary, quite the opposite actually. Hence the doll comment; oh this isn't helping. I'm just going to stop talking now."

Cobalt eyes regard the floundering ferry girl, amusement dancing in their depths. Botan sighs with relief at the small victory; at least Mae doesn't hate her. The blue haired woman offers a grin at her own antics. Mae's face hardens again at the gesture of kinship; she'd be foolish to trust so easily. Confused Botan tries once more to coax a reaction out of the girl.

"Mae? Look I know you don't trust us, but we're only trying to help you." The blue haired woman sits on the edge of the couch, reaching out to place a comforting hand over Mae's folded hands. At this gesture Mae smiles softly, perhaps she can escape after all. "We could watch a movie until the guys are ready for us if you like?"

Just down the hall the original team sits with Koenma, trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle that lay before them. They realize there are key pieces of information that are missing, gaps that they will need filled in by Mae, if they can ever get her to communicate with them. The fox is nursing a cup of tea, glaring at it as if the green liquid will surrender the answers he seeks. They've already eliminated Hiei's Jagan as a means of gathering information, as there is some type of mental barrier in the girl's mind.

"Perhaps there's a way around the barrier?" Koenma suggests hopefully, knowing that Hiei will be their best bet at gathering all the information required.

"The only way into her mind is through that barrier." The smaller demon scoffs, "I already tried to break it and was almost crucified upon our return."

So that's what happened. Kurama replays the scene from the clearing over again in his mind, noting that the Jagan eye was indeed open when the fox had discovered them. "Before we address gathering information from her there seems to be a more pressing issue. It seems that when a demon makes direct contact with Mae, skin to skin, it elicits an extremely violent response on the demon's part. I know Hiei, Yuske, and myself have all experienced this. I would assume Yukina has as well. Do you have any idea why that might be Koenma?"

"N-no I don't. I've never heard of anything like that before…" The princeling states, popping his pacifier back into his mouth. A sudden shift in the energy around the temple draws their attention. Kurama's eyes snap up as Mae's energy fades. He glances around to see if the others had noticed. Kuwubara looks around confused while Hiei is nowhere to be seen, having flitted away to check his sister and Botan.

"Hey, did Rumi-er Mae just leave?" He asked "I don't feel her energy anymore."

"She's gone. There's something wrong with Botan" Hiei says appearing in the doorway to the room. He's holding the ferry girl gently, having carried her to the tea room in search of answers. While it's true the fire demon holds no fondness for the blue haired girl he does feel a need to avenge the action taken against her. The Jaganshi places her on the table for the others to see. Her skin, normally warm and glowing, has taken on an ashy hue and is cold to the touch. Her bubblegum colored eyes are half closed, as if she were in a daze.

"Botan! Botan wake up!" Yuske shouts, pushing the others out of the way and grasping the ferry girl by the shoulders. After a moment she blinked, the warmth returning to her, though the blue haired girl still seemed out of it. His deep brown eyes are frosty with anger; they'd been nothing but decent to the girl there was no cause for her to attack the ferry girl. He vows to make Mae suffer for her mistake. The detective looks up when he hears footsteps approach to find Yukina has joined them.

"Let me look at her Yuske, maybe there's something I can do." She says gently. Nodding the dark haired man steps back to give the ice maiden some room.

"It's clear she doesn't plan on returning." The fox commented "I didn't think she'd try to run with the state she's in. Apparently we should have put wards on the doors to keep her from trying."

"So I guess that means we're going after her." Yuske stood, a determined look settling onto his face as he stretches, joints popping. "I for one want some answers."

The sun was just beginning to peak over the tops of the trees when Mae made it to the town. Ducking into an alley she gasps for breath. Her feet are shredded and sore from running barefoot for so many miles. Not to mention the lovely kimono she'd borrowed was now splattered with mud along the hem from the rain the day before. Stumbling back onto the street Mae knows she'll have to try to disappear in the morning crowds, hopefully she can change and pickpocket some money for a train ticket before her pursuers make it to the town. Wandering around, she tries doors to several shops, finding they are not yet open for the day. Panic begins to set in; I have to get out of here! There has to be someplace that's open this early…I have to change. I'm recognizable enough as it is, I don't need to be seen wandering around barefoot in a kimono! A sense of relief washes over her when a door finally gives way under her weight.

Caught by surprise Mae about trips over the threshold to the bookstore; she eases the door closed and turns to face the mounds and rows of books before her. Not what I was hoping for, but it will do until the trains start running for the day… She peers out the window, noticing the storm clouds rolling in. Rain has been Mae's friend ever since she started running making her harder to track and keeping her pursuers two steps behind her. Today it seems, luck is not on her side as she sees a head of bright red hair through the dusty glass. Damn, how did they find me so fast…I was quiet, it should have given me a bigger head start. She curses herself for not having thought about the time when she ran off. Her silent cursing only growing when she realizes the bloody footprints will lead the group right to her. Then, much to the albino's relief, it begins to rain washing away any trace of her.

"Can you find her?" The fox asks, turning to Hiei who is currently glaring at the precipitating sky. They'd followed her scent to the town noticing a trail of bloody footprints beginning just a mile or two outside the town limits. Kuwubara had been the first to notice the macabre trail, pointing out how desperate the blue eyed girl must be to get away to run the entire way without any shoes, not even stopping when her feet had begun to bleed. Yuske had retorted that she'd better run, because she'd wish he'd never caught her after what she did to Botan; and that she was stupid for leaving them such an easy trail to follow.

"Of course" the smaller demon scoffs, closing his eyes and concentrating with his Jagan. Where is she? I thought I'd at least be able to sense her with the Jagan; and now this stupid rain has washed away the blood trail and most of her scent… Hiei grits his teeth in frustration, allowing his energy to pinpoint her location. Turning toward the book store the koorime inhales deeply a smirk forming when his guess is confirmed. "There."

Yuske turns toward the book store, "Not like shorty here needed something as easy as a blood trail anyways. So what's the plan?"

"What do you take me for, a human hunter who allows his prey to bleed out for lack of skill?" The fire demon snarks, his pride can take no more blows. Kurama, sensing the impending blood bath steps between the two and doles out instructions.

"Go around back Yuske. Hiei and I will flush her out. Kuwubara go wait at the train station just in case." The red head instructs. "This should be easy enough."

"In case what?" Kuwubara asks with a small frown, "I wannna be where the action is!"

"In case the imbecile detective fails to catch the brat as we flush her out the back." Hiei retorts, starting toward the store. You'll not escape again little mouse the koorime grimaces, when had he assigned her a pet name? He didn't even like the child.

Mae stumbles back from the window; Kurama and the man from the clearing were heading straight toward the book store. I really need to get better at these introductions; I mean this is getting ridiculous… She didn't think they'd seen her, but it wouldn't be hard to find her with a trail of foot prints to follow. Spotting a couple of dust rags she quickly mops up what blood she can as she retreats to the rear of the store; maybe I can still sneak out the back. She hears the bell over the door ring as they enter and ducks behind a bookcase.

"Excuse me," Kurama begins politely to the elderly man at the counter. Hiei rolls his eyes at the fox's antics; he will never understand human pleasantries. What was the point anyways if they were only going to drip all over his floor and counter? "We're looking for my little sister. She wandered off and we can't seem to find her. She's twelve, about four-eight, blue eyes, white hair."

Mae fumed at how easily the lie rolled off the fox's tongue, a little confused at first as there had been no one attending the counter when she'd entered. She huddled further behind the stacks of books as she seethed; twelve! Did he seriously just tell that man I'm twelve! That bastard, luckily the clerk wasn't at the counter when I came in though…

"Sorry, I haven't seen anybody yet this morning." The old man replies, pushing his thick glasses up on his wrinkly nose "but you're welcome to look around if you like."

"Thank you." Kurama says politely, turning back to his spikey haired companion with a questioning look.

"She's definitely here" the koorime growls under his breath, pointing at the puddles of blood mixing with the rain water they've tracked in. The two demons exchanged a look before systematically making their way through the store. Mae could hear the heavy thunk of the smaller man's boots and the softer steps of Kurama closing in. Her heart seems to match their footsteps beating in time; counting down my moments of hard won freedom is more like it. She takes a step back, she was cornered there was nowhere to hide! She feels something digging into her back and reaches behind her, it's a door handle; Thank God she sighs in relief and backs out the door almost relieved to feel the cool patter of the rain on her face. When she turns to run she smacks into what feels like a brick wall, but brick walls don't have hands. She looks up to see the dark haired man towering over her. Her instincts kicking in Mae punches him in the throat and manages to slip around the former detective. The ground has become slippery with the rain and Yuske stumbles as he lurches for her.

"Damn" he coughed, why is she so scared of us? What does she think we've done that she did whatever that was to Botan and ran almost eight miles without shoes? "You got a lot of fight for a kid."

Her stance widens as she prepares to run for it. She only gets a couple of steps before strong arms snake around her, hoisting her up off the ground. Frantically she claws at the spirit detective's exposed arms. Throwing her head back she manages to catch his cheek, but misses his nose. No! Not like this; please not like this! She beats on his arms with her fists and swung her legs back in an attempt to kick him.

"Damn it stop fighting me! Don't give me a reason to hurt you anymore than I already have! My orders are to take you back to the temple; you can decide how many pieces that's in!" The detective growls, any sympathy for the girl dissipating almost instantly. Despite his threats she continues to struggle, believing things will only be worse if she goes quietly. Frustrated and tired of wrestling the girl in the rain the detective drops her without warning. Mae crumples in a heap at his feet, snatched back up by her wrists before she has a chance to react. He shakes her violently, causing the rest of her hair to fall from the twist in a tangled mess. "I said enough!"

"Is a small child really too much for you to handle detective?" Hiei sneers stepping out of the building, Kurama close behind. Mae hangs limply in the detective's grasp, her shoulders beginning to ache from the stress. With a low growl Yuske drops her, a sickening crack filling the alley as she lands on the concrete. The fox winces at the cuts littering the detective's arms as well as the bruise forming on his cheek from where he'd been head butted. Noticing the fox's gaze the detective touches his cheek tenderly, glaring down at the girl in a heap on the ground. Slowly she pushes herself up her cobalt eyes shining with defiance. In an instant Hiei's sword is unsheathed and resting on the hollow of Mae's throat.

"Give me a reason" He challenges, his voice dangerous. Mae stills her expression as cold and unrelenting as Hiei's. Though she doesn't attempt to stand the albino does cradle her broken wrist to her chest, casting a down right poisonous look in Yuske's direction.

Kurama says, hauling Mae to her feet and shoving her toward the detective. "You and Hiei should head back with the girl. I'll fetch Kuwubara from the train station."

"Are you going to behave?" Yuske asks her darkly "or am I going to have to carry you all the way back to the temple?"

"She won't run" the fire demon stated. His eyes were narrowed dangerously at Mae. "Let's go."

Mae allowed Yuske to lead her from the town, his hand rested on her shoulder as he steered her through the streets. Hiei seemed to have disappeared, but something told her he was lurking nearby. She walked with the spirit detective pretending he didn't exist; she faced forward eyes staring into the distance and marched as though he were leading her to her execution. Don't limp, no weakness she told herself trying to ignore the burning pain in her feet. Choosing instead to focus on the sharp throbbing pain of her wrist, thankfully her long kimono sleeves hid the swelling so her captors didn't yet know the extent of her pain. From Mae's experience her pain would only be exploited, she would be put through worse and worse until she finally broke, or passed out. That was the one thing she remembers clearly from her time before, they wanted, said they needed, to break her. To what end Mae can't guess. So she chooses to allow them to lead her back to the temple as if nothing were wrong, as if this was her intention all along. Once the odd couple had left the town the small fire demon appeared beside them once more.

"Yuske, carry her" Hiei states, brushing past them. "Koenma will be upset if she bleeds out before we return to the temple."

"Like I care! After what she did to Botan the bitch deserves to suffer." The detective announces picking up the pace and dragging Mae behind him. Botan? Is that the woman that was watching me? What happened to her… they think I did something to her? Mae's thoughts become panicked as she tries to figure out what she could have done to harm the woman. Her punishments were always worse when one of the guards had been injured in some way.

"The ferry girl is fine Yuske." Hiei states simply, offering no further explanation. "Now carry the damn girl, I don't want to spend the morning walking at this pace."

"What?" The detective asks, relief filling his voice. He pauses to look down at the white haired girl. He let out a small 'oh' when he saw the bloody trail of foot prints leading to them, no wonder they'd received strange looks in town. Mae looked truly pathetic in her state: her hair is plastered to her head in a tangled knotted mess, her feet are caked with mud and blood, and her kimono is all but ruined from the dirt and dust ground into it during her attempted escape. Taking pity on the girl once more the detective stops so she can fully catch up to him. Mae's eyes flashed as Yuske moved to pick her up, she stepped out of the way as he swooped down to throw her over his shoulder. This knocked him off balance, one well-placed kick and he was down. She ignores the searing pain in her feet from the move, turning back to face the spikey haired demon. This time she was prepared for the swordsman, as Hiei went to draw Mae grabbed his sword arm and flipping over him managed to throw the small demon.

Seizing her chance Mae ran, not back toward the town but off into the lightly wooded area along the road. She gasped with each step, her bleeding feet commanding her to stop. Mae only pushed herself harder, determined to escape her captors. It would be better to be dead at this point she decides. She heard shouting behind her and the rustling of the underbrush. It hadn't taken more than a few seconds for the two to recover and pursue the escaped girl. Gasping for breath in the damp air she tries to push herself to run faster. She dodged around trees and leapt over large rocks, she wasn't going back without a fight and they'd been foolish to think she would.

Mae heard the snapping of twigs and pounding of her pursuers' feet as they closed in on her. She trembled almost able to feel their fingers tightening around her arms as she ran. What she didn't realize is that the green space ended with a steep cliff overlooking a river. The fugitive skidded to a stop as she approached the edge. This is it. She turns back to the tree line, determined to defy the men pursuing her to her dying breath. Yuske lumbered out of the forested space spewing curses, his eyes were dark and dangerous as he spotted her. He was still shocked she'd been able to take him down so easily, she'd never shown any type of martial arts skills before. The spirit detective would have been impressed if it were not for the fact that he was supposed to take her back to the temple and she was being a royal pain in the ass. Damn it how are we ever supposed to get answers or help her if she's going to fight us every step of the way. Yuske glanced around, there was no sign of the fire demon but even without his help there was no way the girl was going to escape, he had her cornered.

She looked between the detective and the quickly vanishing space between her and the ledge as she stepped backward. Her azure eyes were wide and her hair danced in the wind that whipped around them in forceful gusts adding to her frantic appearance. Lightening cracked through the sky as she reached the edge of the cliff, that next step would be her last. Mae took a deep breath, locking eyes with the detective one last time. Her expression hardened with determination and she took a final step back into thin air, allowing the momentum to pull her backward and off the edge. Yuske growled and sprung forward arms out stretched to grab the stupid girl, but his fingers closed around air. He was too slow.

Time seemed to slow as Mae fell, vaguely she could hear someone yelling but that was far away and of no importance at the moment. She felt the wind wrap its icy fingers around her as it drug her down to the river and the sharp rocks on its shores. Mae knew she was falling, but she felt weightless, is this how birds feel when they fly, she wondered, closing her eyes to revel in the feelings around her. The rain was cold and hard against her face, seeming to take bites from her skin eating away at the meager warmth in her body. Her hair whipped around her face lashing at her skin, defying the weight of the water. She felt her arms stretch out from her sides, and her pale lips turned upwards in a small smile as the cool air kissed her face. She almost forgot she was falling; the cold reminded her of snow. Perhaps that's what she was doing, yes that was it, she was making snow angels. A hysterical laugh bubbled up from deep within her, escaping and taking flight in the rolling waves of air rushing around her.

Mae was rudely jerked from her decent by a pair of strong arms. The warmth shocked her, where had the blissful chill of the wind, the pleasant sting of the rain gone? She opened her eyes, not realizing she'd closed them and looked around frantically her gaze settling on the fire demon who'd snatched her from the air. A scowl replaced the smile on her face as their eyes met, her glare as cold as his was hot. Hiei looked down at the girl in his arms his ruby eyes narrowed at her glare. Is she really so stupid as to believe we'd allow her to escape that easily, he growled, it didn't even seem as though she were trying to escape but more as if she preferred death to being captured. Who exactly does she think we are to prefer being dead to returning to the temple, stupid mouse. The small demon broke eye contact with the human girl, ignoring her icy glare as he flitted back to the temple; he could feel the spirit detective following not far behind.